Assassin's Creed Odyssey puts you in the role of an assassin and mercenary in ancient Greece, building off the formula developed in Origins and more aggressively drawing on the philosophies and systems of roleplaying games. Assassin's Creed is one of the most reliable legacies in modern gaming, but the reboot brought about in Assassin's Creed Origins significantly changed the formula in some meaningful ways. The somewhat simplistic combat, crafting systems, and cosmetic customization gave way to the components of a full-on roleplaying game, with stealth mechanics taking a back seat to loot based equipment drops and enemy scaling. It was a bold change, but a successful one, and Odyssey builds on that new formula in iterative rather than radical ways.

With the new Greek setting, Odyssey goes full in on the roleplaying, creating a world that more closely resembles the sorts of games put out by Bioware. For the first time in the series history, players get to choose their own character, and expansive dialogue trees give way towards the more structured narrative of earlier games. The options here are incredibly broad, and you have a great opportunity to really make your lead's voice all your own. NPCs can be romanced, and players have a lot more leverage to make the character their own. That's not to say there's not a template in place. The new lead character is more soldier than assassin, and that's reflected in the move towards more visceral and open combat. Older fans may be disappointed to see stealth gameplay being demoted, but combat has expanded greatly on the core systems put in place by the past game. The option to scout out territory using your pet eagle is still available, but you also have access to four special powers that can mix up combat and keep it fresh.

You play the descendant of a Spartan king, and that's signified with the increased importance of a spear as your primary weapon. Also taking a back seat in the narrative is the ongoing shadow war between the Assassin's Brotherhood and Templar Order, a refreshing change given how long that story has been played out. But the fundamental system of exploring an open world and tracking down the targets of your revenge creates a sense of normalcy that Assassin's Creed's traditionalist fans can lean on for meaning.

One of the most exciting new additions is the return of naval systems that made Black Flag such a breakout hit. Given that the game takes place over an expansive landscape of island and coastal states, learning how to manage your crew and sail the seas is a necessity for anyone who wants to succeed on their mission. You can similarly expect to meet a colorful cast of both original characters and real historical figures as enemies and mission givers.

Pros:

The largest and most graphically impressive map in Assassin's Creed history